Ian Wright’s panicky Arsenal transfer comments are baffling

While these deals are not set in stone, Arsenal’s interest in the aforementioned trio appears very real. With the club currently sitting in sixth place in the standings, knocked out of the FA Cup, and losing a few established players this month, the Gunners need to be doing all they can to sign big players such as Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan. This is not “panicky” at all, it is just what Arsenal need to do.

About The Author

Prior to joining the writing team at World Soccer Talk in the summer of 2014, Chris was a freelancer for the Yahoo Contributor Network. While at Yahoo, he published over 100 soccer-related articles and was a regular in the website’s monthly “Hot 100” list.
Chris also wrote Baltimore Orioles minor league reports and game recaps for the Maryland Sports Blog during the 2014 season.

20 Comments

Christopher MclaughlinJanuary 17, 2018

Fantastic article Chris. This is Arsenal being proactive for the first time in a long time. Letting these players go and bringing in seasoned players mixed with young potential shows a change in the recruitment at Arsenal, down to sven mineslat I think.

Ian Wright was a decent player for arsenal but now seems determined to carve out a career as a pundit by criticising the club. It,s not as if he knows enough to become a decent coach, those that can ,do those that can,t talk about it. Mostly what comes out of his mouth is the same as what comes out of the North end of a south facing horse

You’re leaving out the important aspect of this; this is largely taking place because the Sanchez situation has been left unresolved for so long. Rather than take 60 million last Summer, Arsenal have put themselves in a situation where they have few options to get something in return for Sanchez. With Man City pulling out, and no other offers in sight, they have no choice but to take what Man U will give them.

And no, there is little sense in holding onto Sanchez; no shot at catching City, out of the FA Cup . . . you’re not looking at gaining any hardware this year.

Also, if they bring in Aubameyang, what will you do Lacazette? They both play the central striker position, and Wegner is not known for playing with 2 up top (usually 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, or some variation thereof). Even in those two formations the question is who gets pushed out wide.

So, yeah, given that they’re making this move because of a situation they’ve left unresolved for 18 months, and for a player that creates problems for your line-up, it seems panicky.

You would have sold Sanchez for 60m last summer without a replacement? Or you are not aware that Sanchez was not sold because the Lemar deal didn’t happen? As for keeping the Sanchez problem for so long, some of think players are chattels that can be bought or sold at the whims of buyer and seller. We forget that the player has a big part to play. If a player doesn’t want to play for you, there’s very little you can do. We conveniently forget how Sanchez chose Arsenal over Liverpool even when the latter offered more money to Barcelona.
As for Mr Wright, I have said elsewhere that he allows his hatred for Wenger to becloud his reasoning whenever he discusses anything Arsenal. Legend indeed!

“You would have sold Sanchez for 60m last summer without a replacement? Or you are not aware that Sanchez was not sold because the Lemar deal didn’t happen?”

Possible, yes, I would have moved him sans a replacement.

But the club mis-handled that situation as well, according to some reports. As for the Lemar transfer fiasco, part of that was, according to Monaco, that Arsenal bid so late in the window so as not to allow Monaco time to find a replacement for Lemar. Again; why is the Sanchez situation not being addressed up front? You knew heading into the Summer you had two windows remaining with the expiring contracts of Ozil and Sanchez looming, yet the club appears to move with no sense of urgency.

The Lemar deal didn’t happen because City waited until the last minute to make their offer, trying to bully Arsenal into a fire sale price. When Arsenal stood firm, they finally offered £60 million, which Arsenal accepted, but by then, Monaco wouldn’t sell Lemar because they couldn’t bring in a replacement.

Arsenal didn’t delay anything. They made multiple offers to Sanchez and offered him to multiple teams. The player, already tapped up by City, refused to consider going any place but City, and City knowing this, refused to make a fair offer. Oddly enough it is this tactic, silly for a huge spending club like City, that will cost them their man.

Aubameyang is a quality player. He’s probably not Arsenal’s first choice but he’s a a world class striker and makes the club better. I’m willing to wait and see how the Aubameyang/Lacazette partnership works before I declare it a failure.

Arsenal tried to resign Sanchez in the last the 24 months of his contract. He would not sign. He wanted massive wages. Arsenal cannot afford the money (Reportedly between £300,000-£350,000) per week) that Manchester United are willing to pay him. They could not afford the reportedly £275,000-£300,000 per week City were willing to pay. A salary like that would cripple the club.

When Sanchez entered the last 18 months of his contract, some of the big European clubs came sniffing around, looking for a bargain. In addition to the big three in England (Chelsea, Man U & Man City) Bayern Munich were interested, so were PSG and Juventus. Man City illegally offered Sanchez a huge salary to sign with them and that knocked all three European clubs out. One by one; first Juventus, then Bayern, then PSG dropped their interest. City’s offer kept everyone at bay last summer, and they tried to low-ball Arsenal by waiting until the last week of the window to make a formal offer. Arsenal refused to sell (correctly) without getting a replacement. The deal fell through and Sanchez stayed.

Arsene Wenger said, all along, that he would keep Sanchez to the end if he could not replace him and he’s done exactly what he said he would do. Arsenal did no ‘bungle’ the transfer, they were dealing with a player who refused to move unless he got wages well beyond what he’s worth. In trth, Arsenal do not have to sell Sanchez at all. They can force him to stay and he will lose millions of pounds while he sits on the bench making £140,00 per week instead of £300,000 per week.

From my perspective is it Manchester United who are being panicky. They are paying £35 million plus a £10 million agent fee and a £20 million signing on fee, plus £300,000+ per week, plus forcing H.M out of the club for a player they can sign for free in five months. They’re doing it because Arsenal were absolutely prepared to make Sanchez stay the next five months rather than take the £20 million Man City offered.

United need Sanchez more than City and arguably more than Arsenal. What they have to hope is, Sanchez returns to form once he’s gotten his big pay packet, because otherwise he’ll be the most expensive bench warmer in Premier League history.

“Arsenal tried to resign Sanchez in the last the 24 months of his contract. He would not sign. He wanted massive wages. Arsenal cannot afford the money (Reportedly between £300,000-£350,000) per week) that Manchester United are willing to pay him. They could not afford the reportedly £275,000-£300,000 per week City were willing to pay. A salary like that would cripple the club. ”

And they knew that many months ago? Sanchez’s wage demands are not new, so, again, why the delay in making a decision?

“They are paying £35 million plus a £10 million agent fee and a £20 million signing on fee, plus £300,000+ per week, plus forcing H.M out of the club for a player they can sign for free in five months. They’re doing it because Arsenal were absolutely prepared to make Sanchez stay the next five months rather than take the £20 million Man City offered. ”

Or that they moved to 12 pts from City and are preparing to make a run while also trying to solidify a top-4 place and return to UEFA next season.

Regardless of what Man U is doing and why, that doesn’t address Arsenal’s handling of the Sanchez situation, nor the fact that bringing in Aubameyang is not, as the author stated, and the original point I made that has not been addressed, “just what Arsenal need to do” because it creates a situation where either Aubameyang or Lacazette will have to play out of position, or the team will switch formations. How is that just what Arsenal needs to do, or not an indication that this club is being panicky in trying to find a replacement?

I do not believe Mourinho is not planning to make a run, he’s planning for next year. He knows the title is Man city’s to lose. Maybe they’ll blow it. Maybe Aguero will get hurt, he is a little fragile. Sanchez is a difference maker. Maybe he will help drag United to within striking distance.

The thing is, people, particularly the usual pundits who make money getting people to watch and read by saying outrageous and generally untrue things, keep characterizing this situation as failure by Arsenal and that simply is not true. Like all human equations, this one was messy. The player decided, probably because of illegal contact from Man City with Sanchez’s representatives, that he would not accept less than Man City were going to pay. That ruled out everyone else on the planet until Man City got greedy and (again) tried to low-ball. Manchester United stepped in with a massive offer. I think it was an absolutely brilliant move by Man U, by the way. Maybe it was panicky or maybe it was just impeccable timing. Players like Sanchez are rare and Mourinho saw a chance and, knowing the man was driven by money, offered a truck load of it. He got his man.

Unlike Arsenal, Man U can afford the wages and the fees. I’m not bitter or jealous, it’s just the fact, Man U can afford Sanchez and Arsenal cannot. Nothing Arsenal could have done after Man City made their approach was going to get Sanchez signed at a price Arsenal could afford. The funny thing is, City created an environment where Sanchez could only go to four clubs. Real Madrid, Man U, Man City, and Chelsea. Sanchez laser focus on going to City kept Arsenal from selling him at a tidy profit, but in the end it wasn’t good enough. City wanted to punish Arsenal for backing out of the deal and it will cost them their man. It would be true justice if, because he signed Sanchez, Mourinho and United were able to catch City and snatch the title away. As Mourinho himself said, if Sanchez stays at Arsenal, good for them. If he comes to us, good for us, etc.

I will say this about Sanchez. In an Arsenal jersey for the next four years he’d be a legend. He’ll play for Man U for two years, then get the RVP treatment. Mourinho will win his title at United and leave. Alexis will get shipped to Turkey or MLS on the cheap to get him off the books and finish his career in obscurity. Will it be worth it? It’s a lot of money. I can’t say I’d do different in his boots; but five years form now United fans will remember the title the Red Devils win in 2018-2019, but not that it was Sanchez that brought it any more than RVP gets credit or thanks for bringing Fergie his last title.

There are a number of former Arsenal players; Paul Merson, Ian Wright, and Tony Adams who go out of their way to criticize the club and especially Arsene Wenger when ever there is an opportunity to do so.

Their criticisms of the team and Arsene Wenger seem personal and spiteful. Perhaps they all felt wronged by the club, perhaps they want a role with the team and are bitter because Arsene Wenger will not give that to them. Who knows? Calling the transfers panicky without substantiating it with real, sourced information is poor conduct form a man who’s entire credibility is tied to his status as a former Arsenal great.

I think it’s fine to criticize; Thierry Henri does it from time to time, sometimes harshly, but his comments are usually more thoughtful and fair.

This is a difficult time for Arsenal Football Club. The fan base is rooted in past glories, just like Liverpool fans are. The richest three clubs for years were 1. Manchester United, 2. Arsenal, and 3. Liverpool. Not suprisingly, it was Arsenal and Man U that shared Premier League glory for the first ten years of the league’s existence. Poor Liverpool huffed and puffed and still hasn’t won a title in the entire time, all 21 years, the Premier League has existed.

That three-team domination came to an abrupt halt when Abramovich and Sheikh Mansoor bought Chelsea and Manchester City, respectively. Those two owners have poured over a billion pounds of money beyond club revenues into each of their teams and changed the face of the league. Arsenal fans refuse to accept that reality.

Jose Mourinho himself said the £300 million he’s spent so far was not enough to keep pace with City. Arsenal do not have £300 million to spend, but somehow, perhaps because Arsene Wenger worked miracles for a decades to keep the club in the top four, Arsenal fans have come to believe they can compete for a title with far less than what Man U can spend. Gooners seem to feel they are both entitled to and deserving of that top four spot simply because they’ve had a great team and a great manager for so long.

From time to time you may see a Blackburn or a Leicester pop up and snatch glory from the big boys, but it will happen less and less as the spending gulf becomes bigger and bigger. Teams occasionally punch above their weight like Burnley is now, but it’s never sustainable because over time money is what decides things in football.

For those who can’t wait to get rid of Arsene Wenger, get real. Managers can make a difference, but does anyone honestly think Pep Guardiola would twelve points clear of the Premier League field with Bournemouth? Would Jose Mourinho have won any of his titles managing Newcastle or West Brom? Would Antonio Conte have destroyed the field last year if he’d been managing Norwich? Would Arsene Wenger have won three titles and a handful of FA Cups with Swansea?
The answer to all of those questions is no. Even Leicester, who were a deserving underdog champion, had massive investment from their owners, well beyond the club’s revenues, before they won the title. When Arsenal replace Arsene Wenger, unless the club’s owners suddenly decide to pour hundred of millions of pounds beyond club revenues into the team’s roster, Arsenal will remain in a constant battle for a top four spot and will likely wander between third and eighth for the next decade, until the next seismic shift in the footballing landscape.

Thought your post was fairly crisp until:
‘Arsenal fans refuse to accept that reality.’
We fans understand the reality of bought titles and skirted FFP regulations
The plan (building Emirates and retiring the debt) that Wenger and Arsenal’s Board(s) made. took. and completed were based on the reality between 1999-2004– and completed in 2010. But with the billions poured into Chavs and City– 2 CL spots went to those clubs almost annually. Wenger’s best managing may have been from 2010-2015– to win 5 CL places and 2 FA Cups with very little resources spent. Wenger’s only crime was not having billions to spend.

This is also humorous:
Would Arsene Wenger have won three titles and a handful of FA Cups with Swansea? Handful? It takes both hands to count to 7 (FA Cups)!

Not a math guy and didn’t write the post with my stat book at the ready. The main points were, top managers work for tops teams and they win not just because they are good managers, but because they have the funds to buy the best players. All the managerial skill in the world does not get an able guy like Sean Dyche a title. He just does not have the players and never will at Burnley. The second point is, the Premier League is a three-way fight for the title these days, Only four clubs have won more than one title in the Premier League era. Man U, Chelsea, Man City, and Arsenal. Arsenal, as the pundits and perennial delusional fans keep harping on, haven’t done it since the Age of the Oligarch began and probably won’t until they either get their own Oligarch or the rules about investing beyond revenue change.

There is always a chance a club like Tottenham or Liverpool or Arsenal; or yes a club like Leicester can sneak in, but those will be one-offs, not sustained challenges.

Tottenham has missed their window. They have the right manager and the right formula; a batch of top-quality homegrown players, a few select transfers, and an owner willing to keep them together; but they missed two years ago when Leicester won, then missed last year when Chelsea ran away with it and they’ll miss this year to Man City.

Next year will be Man U’s year. Mourinho will need to win or he’ll be sacked. Will Liverpool be able to keep their team together for two more years? Maybe. They spent huge on Van Dijk, they’ll spend big on another attacker this summer, possibly Thomas Lemar. They have a good manager in Klopp and their big stars are under contract. They are the team outside the big three best poised to make a run at the title in each of the next two years, depending on what Arsenal and the other top teams do. Unfortunately for Klopp and the Liverpudlians, City will bring on more attacking talent this summer and Chelsea, having missed out, will reload as well. So Klopp has two more seasons, then his owner will realize they failed and he’ll be sacked.

I have been an Arsenal fan since 1992. I have observed a lot during those years. Transfer fees are one side of the equation. Arsenal FC is not paying the kind of wages the market demands to bring in top players. However, the other side of the coin is the wages spent by the clubs on the players. Looking at the 2016-17 season, Arsenal is 7th in the world spending £234m ahead of Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Liverpool but not far behind. PSG 6th at £239 (prior to Neymar & Mbappe’s arrival) or Man City 5th at £248m.
The bottom line is that, Arsenal by refusing to pay huge transfer fees for top players are still paying a huge amount in wages to the players they bring in. There is always too much haggling whenever a player is involved with Arsenal whether they are coming in or going out. There’s a lack of decisiveness on the part of the club.
I want Arsenal fans to be objective and not be guided by blind loyalty. Not everything former Arsenal players say about the current situation at Arsenal is false. Sometimes they do have a point. If I criticize my brother or family members, it does not automatically mean I resent them or I have an agenda. They are also fans of the club and want to see the club compete for titles.

I do believe that the club has under performed in the past 10 plus years. Always two or more quality players short (in key positions) to truly challenge for meaningful silverware. Players not having enough mental fortitude, physicality, and hunger to win a long grueling season. Something has to change. Continuing on the same path will not change anything. We will be having the same conversation in 2020 or 2025.

You are right. Not everything former players say is false, but a lot of it is. A lot of it is self-serving tripe designed to generate hits on web sites and eyeballs on newspaper pages. Some if it warranted criticism; but writing a story that says Arsenal, for example, bungled the handling of Sanchez’s contract situation without mentioning City’s illegal approach or Sanchez’s actual wage demands is not an honest discussion of the situation and the former players doing it know that.

FYI, The difference in base wages does not include incentives and signing on fees, which, as we’ve seen in the Sanchez transfer saga, can be massive for top players. So Arsenal may be able to compete on wages, but only by not paying huge transfer fees. If they paid huge fees, there would likely be no money for wages.

If the club is the 4th richest in the league, then 4th place is punching their weight. In 21 years, Arsenal, under Arsene Wenger, have failed to punch their weight once. They’ve also won 4 titles and as my good friend pointed out, 7 FA Cups. They got to the finals of the Champions League once, and were runners up in the league title chase 6 times. That means that, in at least 14 of of the last 21 seasons Arsenal were in genuine competition for a meaningful trophy. That, by no honest measure, is under performing.

Even accepting your formula for wages, which ignores the fact that in Serie A, for example, wages are reported after tax, while in England they are reported before tax, Arsenal are about the 7th or 8th richest club. Again, by that formula, losing in the round of 16 is punching their weight.

And I accept that some criticism of the team and manager is warranted. I think Wenger has over rated certain players, shown loyalty beyond all reason, and taken some risks with injury and squad depth that were unnecessary and detrimental. The thing is, in the past some of those gambles paid off. When they don’t, everyone screams, but when the pundits say, Arsenal failed to replace Debuchy when he got hurt, they don’t say, he did the same thing a player, say Hector Bellerin, emerged and proved him right. That would be fair commentary. It’s not as sexy as a screaming headline blaming Arsene Wenger for Brexit, but it would be an honest discussion. No one thought RVP would ever be more than an injury plagued waste; but under Wenger he became the league’s deadliest hit man. Unfortunately for Wenger, RVP displayed none of the loyalty or faith in the club that the manager showed to him.

Remember that none of the top teams wanted Sanchez when Barcelona were shopping him like a second hand condom; it was a two dog fight between Arsenal and Liverpool and more than one of the pundits screaming that Arsenal had bungled the situation with Alexis’ contract also were screaming that Arsenal screwed up by signing Sanchez instead of Pedro. They were writing and saying that Arsenal were lapping up Barcelona’s leavings when they signed the Chilean. Alexis has certainly forgotten what it felt like to be unwanted. He’ll know the feeling again in two years. Count on it.

Why is the FA Cup meaningful when Man U or Man City win it and not meaningful when Arsenal and Arsene Wenger win it? Wanting Arsene Wenger to be the scapegoat does not mean he’s at fault and never will.

Players do not lack fortitude or mental toughness; that’s rah-rah horse shit. Arsenal have not won titles because they simply do not have enough top quality players to win. And they do not have those players because they cannot afford them. Period. Firing Arsene Wenger, bringing in a new board, changing David Dein’s underwear and pointing fingers in general will not bring a title. £500-£600 million will make it possible. Nothing less will do. Just ask Jose Mourinho.

Thanks for the reply. You raised a lot of good points. Arsenal historically has been one of the top three teams in England along with Man Utd and Liverpool. The arrival of Chelsea and Man City has upset the pecking order. Arsenal still has a huge fan base around the world and the club still generates a lot of revenue. You need to maintain your competitiveness or you’ll slowly but surely start losing your stature among your peers.

I have no problem with the first half of Wenger’s tenure. The second half after 2006 is when things started to change. Winning the FA cup is great but I don’t consider it anywhere near an accomplishment as winning the league title. The league title is the benchmark.

Players at the end of the day want to win titles. Every player makes that assessment and reaches a decision. Am I going to win a title if I stay here? Loyalty goes only so far especially when you are at age 28 and you are entering the downward slope of your career. Van Persie could have stayed at Arsenal and retired with another FA cup. If you ask him now, I doubt he regrets leaving. From a fan perspective, it is disloyal but from an objective point of view, he did what was best for him and his legacy. Both Ozil and Sanchez are asking those same questions.

I don’t think Arsenal needs to match Man City’s and Chelsea’s level of spending. You can still build a decent squad with solid players all around. Bayern Munich is a great example. They are not spending PSG or Man City like money but they are champions league contenders every single year.
1. You have to buy smart. You need good scouts and negotiators. I hope the new guys who recently joined from Barca and Dortmund will change things soon.
2. Act early and act decisively, Don’t wait all summer long and wait until deadline day to complete transactions.
3. Don’t be too stingy. Doesn’t mean you pay the first asking price but be fair and don’t lowball selling teams. Spend a little more if you have to in order to get a key player without breaking the bank.
4. If players don’t perform, cut your losses. Find a replacement and move on quickly.

I used to get upset when rival fans criticize Arsenal. I used to fight against the jokes and criticisms to defend the club’s policies After a certain point, I started realizing that a lot of it is true and justified. Things can and should be run better. I strongly disagree that the club is over-performing and it is doing the best it can. Hopefully, things change soon for the better.

As i have said before the problem lies at the top when we were a lot poorer when Deine was on board we were doing much better ..we need a shake up New board got a new recruit man the ex Barcelona man is a good start ..I still believe wenger is a good manager but only a good manager he should only be doing the football side of things let the some one Else negotiate the contracts and wages …when Wenger was just managing the football side of things we were doing and challenging for the title .in other words it starts from the board ..very simple that’s all what is needed

The board does nothing in football. Football team boards are made up of businessmen, not football experts. Those positions are, for the most part, honorary and do the bidding of the club owners. Everyone says ‘the board’ to deflect criticism from the owner, but it’s the club owner who decides and Arsenal’s owner wants three things.

He wants the team competitive for trophies, which Arsenal are. The owner wants the team to, at a minimum, subsist on revenues it generates, and the owner does not want his manager openly criticizing him and his executives. By those measures, Arsene Wenger is a resounding success. He’s also won ten major trophies in 21 years.

If you are being honest, that’s excellence.

If the team wants better performance, they have to spend money the club does not generate and even then, with Sheikh Mansoor and Chelsea’s Abramovich willing to go deep into their pockets, even if Arsenal were to spend wildly beyond their means, there is no certainty it would be enough.

Another factor in Man U signing him now is that he is eligible to play in the Champions League. While City looked to have wrapped up the Premier League, United have a good draw in the CL (Seville), and with the heavyweights all slightly below par at this time, they could have a good shot at winning the CL.